What is Bakuchiol?

Whether it’s the benefits of hyaluronic acid or warnings about stressed skin, there’s always a new long-winded beauty buzzword that promises to revolutionise your skincare. 

Well, here at AC HQ, we like to keep our lovely Absoluters informed about the science behind the syllables! That’s why we’re taking five minutes to give you a no-nonsense guide to beauty’s latest must-have: bakuchiol. 

We love it so much, in fact, that we use it as one of the four powerhouse ingredients that make up our award-winning Maxerum collagen booster serum – an essential component of our Deep Lift Skincare range. 

Continue reading, below, to find out exactly what bakuchiol is, how to use bakuchiol, and what bakuchiol benefits you can enjoy.

So, what is bakuchiol?

While not the easiest to pronounce (it’s “buh-kew-chee-awl”, for anyone interested!), bakuchiol is a natural skincare ingredient, found in the seeds and leaves of the Psoralea corylifolia (also known as the babchi plant).

And, due to its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-ageing properties, bakuchiol has become a very popular ingredient in skincare products. Many people have even started using bakuchiol as an alternative to retinol – but we’ll go into more detail on that later on!

For now, take a look at the helpful infographic, below, that breaks down exactly what bakuchiol is:

What does bakuchiol do?

So, now we know what bakuchiol is, we can swiftly move onto bakuchiol benefits and how this wonderful ingredient can enhance your skincare routine!

Well, for starters, using a bakuchiol serum or bakuchiol oil can help to reduce the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines. In our Maxerum clinical trial, participants saw an 18% improvement in wrinkle appearance, showcasing the bakuchiol benefits of our serum!

In the same clinical trial, participants also reported a 28% improvement in skin firmness and evenness when using our bakuchiol serum for just 12 weeks, adding to the bakuchiol benefits. 

What’s more, whether you’ve got dry skin or sensitive skin, bakuchiol oils and serums are suitable for all skin types. In fact, we find bakuchiol so gentle that it can be used with both your day cream and night cream, according to your personal preference!

How to use bakuchiol

With these amazing bakuchiol benefits at the top of your mind, you’re ready to add a bakuchiol serum to your skincare routine. And you should look no further than our Maxerum serum!

To use our bakuchiol serum, all you need to do is apply a small amount to your face after cleansing, both in the morning and at night. Just allow the bakuchiol serum to full absorb into your skin before applying any moisturiser. 

If you really want to maximise the bakuchiol benefits, use the Maxerum serum alongside our marine collagen supplement. For more information head over to our benefits of collagen for skin blog post!

Bakuchiol vs retinol: which one should I use?

There’s just one final thing to touch upon before we wrap up: comparing bakuchiol vs retinol. 

After all, you might recognise the bakuchiol benefits listed above as similar to retinol, so they must be quite interchangeable, right? Well, we believe that bakuchiol is so much better than retinol.

For starters, retinol comes with a string of irritating side effect, which includes increased skin sensitivity and redness. You actually need a build up a tolerance to retinol, which is a far cry from the gentle, soothing nature of bakuchiol serum. 

Worse still, retinol has a number of limitations. It shouldn’t be used in the daytime, and it’s not suitable for frequent use for pregnant or breastfeeding women. By contrast, bakuchiol oil or serum is safe for both pregnant and breastfeeding women. Of course, we always recommend consulting your healthcare provider if you have any concerns about using a new product during pregnancy.